Nase
by Greykeys
Summary: Regardless of circumstance, of wealth and prestige, they were still family; first and foremost. Collection.
1. Reason

**A/N: **well, considering my love for the Nase family and its three members, i figured i might as well make a collection pertaining to their relationships with one another, and then some. ...yeah, i don't actually know Izumi as a character all that well. we don't even truly know their family dynamic. canon will shut this one-shot out of the water. probably.

here's me making something out of essentially nothing.

* * *

**I. Reason;**

Hiroomi hates the cold; Izumi's the epitome of cold. He'd like to keep warm, but she's freezing and he doesn't know how to deal with a sister who has no reason to care.

* * *

When Hiroomi enters the room, Izumi is by the window, like always. He wonders if it's because she's still thinking of a reason to step outside for herself and no one else.

Hiroomi almost freezes up when she turns her head a second later, a fleeting glance over her shoulder, before looking back to the window.

"Is there something you need, Hiroomi?"

He ignores the chill that lines her words, pretends not to see the cold that surrounds her room, and breathes through tight lips because Izumi always had a freezing air with her.

"You should go shopping with us," the words slip before he has a chance to proofread – to think about what he has to say, "with Mitsuki and I,"

The silence that follows after is surprisingly short, interrupted by the quiet chuckles of his older sister.

"I have no reason to,"

Hiroomi's brows furrow infinitesimally at the implications his sister brings. It's all he has to hear to make him withdraw from the room, and the offer entirely. He knows he doesn't mean it, but it certainly doesn't feel like it when he lets it pour from his mouth like it laid upon his tongue the whole time he's been there.

"Are we not a good enough reason for you?"

Hiroomi leaves before Izumi utters a single word; not that she ever has a reason to say anything else.

/

He wonders if it's a sign that the world is ending.

Hiroomi stares at the gates of their home, his younger sister stopping just short of the door as their eldest sister steps out with a small smile he doesn't recognize.

"I-Izumi-Neesan?" Mitsuki stutters as if she's seen a ghost.

He can't deny that he shares his sibling's surprise, but he refrains from letting it show as Izumi looks between the two of them as if nothing's changed. And perhaps nothing did.

"Is something wrong?"

The lilt in his older sister's voice is as cold as always as Mitsuki stands beside her, looking like a fish out of water; her lips unable to decide whether to stay open or closed. Izumi merely cocks her head to the side with a small smile still lining her mouth, patient.

"N-no, it's just..." Mitsuki sends him a wary glance, clearly feeling the same as him (completely, and utterly, lost), "...is there another errand for you to run?"

Because they all knew there was none; they have each already completed their assigned responsibilities a week prior.

"Something like that," she pats Mitsuki's head and it keeps the youngest sibling mouthing for air at their doorstep.

Izumi always had a softer spot for their youngest sister; though Hiroomi can't quite complain; he definitely shares the same sentiment, except a lot more differently.

He supposes errands were common for the eldest member. It was the only reason Izumi would ever leave the house, anyway. Hiroomi snorts to himself as he watches Izumi walk by, pass him like he's nothing.

Seems like an errand was the only good enough reason for Izumi.

/

It's late and Hiroomi isn't surprised Izumi's not back yet.

Nase family relations tended to be tenacious when it came to getting some particular things done. He's glad he doesn't have to deal with such overbearing responsibilities like keeping the goodness between business partners for the sake of making some sort of progress, but he figures such a huge role was the reason for his older sister's distant presence; quite figuratively and literally.

The moon is up from where he can see at the hallway window, the sky dark and looming. Hiroomi's about to enter his room when her voice calls him out amidst the quiet house that never really feels like home.

"Here,"

He catches something soft, warm, and long. Hiroomi inspects the odd material cradled above his cold hands. It takes a silent moment before recognition plays on his face and it finally strikes him that it's a scarf.

...Did his older sister just–?

"You aren't required to keep it,"

Hiroomi looks up only to find that Izumi's back is already turned, her steps slow as she begins her stride to her respective room. He attempts to speak, to say anything at best, but just like his younger sister earlier during the day, his lips are dry and his tongue is empty of words.

He can't pretend he doesn't hear how her voice isn't cold.

"Goodnight, Hiroomi."

He understands the rest of the words that don't leave her lips; _stay warm – even from me, _and he snorts to himself because they're more alike than ever. Izumi never was good with expressing her feelings.

Hiroomi turns back and enters his room, listens to the fading steps of his eldest sister before looping the scarf around his neck and staring at the large peculiar mirror wedged against his wall.

Izumi went shopping for him.

When the thought actually registers in his head – _that Izumi's been in a clothing store_, he is chuckling, clinging onto his stomach and refusing to let out a howled laugh because it'd be inappropriate and Izumi might take his present back for laughing. But it makes him warm.

Guess they were a good enough reason for Izumi, too.

* * *

_25.11.13_


	2. Comfort

**A/N: **darn. i still can't quite grasp their relationship. but anywhales, sister bonding—yayyy.

* * *

**II. Comfort;**

Mitsuki looks for Izumi because she has never pushed her away.

* * *

"Mitsuki?"

She jumps, startled at the sight of her older sister across from her.

"Izumi-Neesan,"

Mitsuki forgets why she's here; in front of her sister's bedroom door.

Izumi doesn't push her away, her expression remaining fairly the same; a calm, patient smile adorning her lips. Mitsuki still can't remember why she's here.

"I..."

She suddenly recalls the colour red. There's blood. Everywhere. The eyes. The claws, and—

Ah...

"Hm?" Izumi ushers her on with a tilt of her head, curiosity etching across her pools of purple.

... now she remembers.

"I can't sleep,"

When Izumi steps aside and let's the large blanket fall over the two of them on the cold mattress, Mitsuki has the urge (like every night) to tell Izumi not to turn away and just hold her instead.

But she can't because Izumi isn't quite like herself anymore.

So Mitsuki settles for the next best thing, gripping onto her sister's back and let's her forehead touch the space between Izumi's shoulders. What brings her comfort is the feeling that despite the cold room, her older sister's still warm to touch.

And just like every night (after the same nightmare), Mitsuki sleeps nestled against Izumi's back and hopes that one day she will turn around and hold her again like she used to.

/

She couldn't believe it.

"Mitsuki!" Hiroomi.

She can't move. Why can't she move?

"Mitsuki!" Akihito.

The large, formless, black, _thing,_ continues to loom over her. It stands tall well above her smaller figure, it's eyes a bright shade of blood red.

Just like her nightmare.

Mitsuki feels her barrier break beneath its heavy claws, the swipe of its arm slashing hard against her side that it makes her scream. Her skin rips and it lets her bleed the colour she sees every night as she flies to the side in a heap, her left arm skidding against the ground floor.

Hiroomi's and Akihito's voices are all a jumbled mess in her head as her vision blurs and the youmu approaches again.

She's tired. _So, _so tired. And so is everyone else, considering how they're all matching despite the varying shades of red.

She should have paid more attention when Hiroomi was giving her lessons on conjuring up more barriers and strengthening it. Though it certainly never helped when he'd eye her whenever she grunted and put forth some effort that'd cause her to make sounds slip from her lips. He always took her sounds of effort the wrong way.

Mitsuki feels its hand wrap around her body, lifting her up from the ground and gradually begins to tight its hold of her. She winces as its large fingers encircles her neck and her breath starts to cut short.

Their yells are drowned out by the sounds of her gasps for air and it's just getting so hard to _breathe._

_If Izumi were here—_

Mitsuki sharply takes in a lungful of air, its large fingers suddenly uncoiling around her neck.

_—she'd probably pay more attention to the monster than her._

Mitsuki's fall to the ground never happens, her weight being supported by a single arm around her waist; her legs unable to carry her upright on their own.

_Izumi wouldn't hold her. _

Mitsuki clutches onto the figure, hoping that it isn't Hiroomi because knowing him, he'd definitely get a kick out of this and she might not be able to ever live it down.

_If Izumi were here, she wouldn't—_

"I'm sorry I'm late,"

_—she wouldn't have ever let her get hurt._

/

"Mitsuki?"

It's the same question again.

Her older sister makes the same tilt of her head, keeps the same patient smile lining her lips, and waits like she always does. Mitsuki wonders how she's never noticed.

"I..."

She pulls the same pondering expression — brows furrowed, lips pursed — and shuffles her feet against the hard-wooden floor. She plays with the edges of her sleeve so that her eyes doesn't settle on her older sister's face for too long because she'd end up staring and that might scare Izumi away. Probably.

"Hm?"

They play their lines again because it'd be far more scarier to stray away from the script. Mitsuki was never good with improvising.

"I can't sleep,"

But Mitsuki doesn't want the play to end here because she might never get the chance to make it better than this.

So when Izumi ushers her to the bed like always and drapes the blanket over the two of them, Mitsuki reaches for her sister's wrist before she gets to turn away from her completely.

Mitsuki lets her fingers curl tentatively around her skin, unable to bring herself to look at her sister's expression in fear of what she may find. She tugs the wrist gently and lets her voice out with a quiet whisper.

"Nee-san..."

She can't bring herself to put what she wants into words. But when she feels Izumi face her to wrap a strong arm around her and gently massages over her wounded side, Mitsuki knows her sister understood.

And unlike every night, Mitsuki sleeps cradled against the crook of Izumi's neck.

/

Mitsuki finds a rather _peculiar _youmu on her bed.

Its large black beady eyes and small whiskers with its large tail and round body makes Mitsuki wonder if she should kill it. What was it doing loitering around on her soft comfy mattress?

"Is that a rat?" Hiroomi questions aloud as he makes his way to her side, inspecting the little critter as it scratches its head and stares up at the two of them as if they were the anomaly instead.

Mitsuki wonders if this rat thing is worth much.

She's about to suffocate the little monster with a tiny barrier when Izumi walks by with a chuckle and smiling eyes.

"I assume it's not to your liking?"

"You got a_ rat_ for her?" Hiroomi probes unabashedly, Izumi merely shrugging her shoulders in response.

"If you'd like, I can—"

"I'll keep it."

Because Mitsuki understands the lines that don't leave Izumi's lips. Her older sister's expression betrays absolutely nothing as she nods her head and continues on her way, leaving the two of them to stare at the youmu now nestled comfortably atop her blanket.

"Mitsuki," she looks back at the call of her name to see Izumi's face half turned, "if it doesn't protect you as well as it should, then let me know."

* * *

_01.12.13_


	3. Protector

**A/N: **so, here's my take on Hiroomi's scars. you know, the usual. family stuff. thanks for the lovely reviews and hopefully you'll continue to enjoy. btw: i've noticed Mitsuki actually refers to Izumi as "Nee-sama" rather than "Nee-san". i'll be fixing the previous chapters sometime soon, hopefully.

* * *

**Protector;**

All she sees is red: red, red, red –there's so much red. But it makes her feel better because the half-youmu's yells of pain are more than enough to drown out the memory of her younger siblings' screams.

* * *

"_T-the half-youmu had transformed!" _Ninomiya Shizuku had said that morning, having barged in uninvited as Izumi had typed away on her laptop.

But what made Izumi disappear like a flash was what Shizuku had uttered amidst the heaves of her breaths.

"_Mitsuki and Hiroomi are there, trying to –"_

It had been more than enough to let her know that she needed to hurry.

/

There's fire.

Trees that surround the forest are burning in waves of flames, the smoke engulfing the air like hungry tides.

Izumi jumps from branch to branch, ignoring the streaks of fire licking her clothes as she hones in on the sounds of yells and explosions. Balls of flames light up the smoky sky with no direction, burning anything and everything as it whirls towards the ground, spots of ember dropping onto the leaves that shield trees.

_"MITSUKI!"_

"_ONII-CHAN!"_

Her speed increases instantly at the sound of her younger siblings' shrill cry, her legs picking up the pace with every raise of her knee. The muscles across her thighs ache for rest, her feet beginning to numb after numerous hard launches and rough landings they take with each branch she reaches.

She slashes with fists clenched on the metal rod of her weapon, arms making wide circular motions as her double-bladed spear-turned-whip make fast concise cuts across stray branches, the sharp ends whipping and recoiling under her rhythmic command.

She has to go faster.

"_ONII-CHAN!"_

Faster.

"_ONII-CHA –"_

Izumi's eyes widen at the sight of her younger sister flying into a tree, the ominous crack that erupts as soon as Mitsuki's back meets the trunk resounding deafeningly in her ears.

She's merely frozen atop a burning tree, vaguely aware that the branch she stands upon was beginning to give.

They're just – they're just lying there, on the ash-colored floor, specks of burnt wood and leaves and grass flitting about the air like snow; soft and gentle and calm. The pool of red that covers Hiroomi is a stark contrast as he lay there on his stomach, his back stained by the dreaded color Izumi has learned to hate.

Mitsuki is out cold against a tree, her hands and arms and clothes wearing the same color that blankets Hiroomi, the trunk adorning a large crack across its skin.

Her eyes flit slowly towards the half-youmu standing idly in the center of it all, his back slumped and green-black-cracks of energy surrounding his form as he stares at her motionless siblings like they were still a threat.

As soon as balls of fire appear above him, Izumi makes a cut across his face, the fluttering of ash as evidence of her speed. The color mars his face as he growls, redirecting the flames towards her despite the lack of distance.

Izumi doesn't relent in her assault, her weapon's form switching back and forth between large swipes of her standard and jaded-whip spear, the blades now sharing the same shade of red.

The half-youmu – _monster,_ she screams inside; _you monster_ – yells out with every cut she makes as he attempts to make a hit at her. The color that stains his face gets in the way and his attacks never make it any further than a lift of his arms, not with how she doesn't stop.

All she sees is red: red, red, red –there's so much red. But it makes her feel better because the half-youmu's yells of pain are more than enough to drown out the memory of her younger siblings' screams.

She won't stop. No, of course not. Not for what this monster did – this monster hurt them, he hurt them, he hurt them!

It was the sole reason why she never shares her burdens with them – never shares her obligations, her responsibilities, her decisions. This was why she always had to do things herself.

She couldn't risk feeling this much pain – this hurt, this scared, this anxious – when she knew she could prevent it by simply keeping her siblings out of the bigger picture.

But here she was and there they were: bleeding out with their lives staining the ash-covered floor.

The monster needs to bleed. It was immortal anyway.

"_Nee-sama –"_

Bleed.

"_Nee-sa –"_

Bleed.

"_Izumi-Neesama –"_

Bleed.

"_Stop!"_

Bleed, _monster._

"Izumi-Neesama!"

She stops, her face feeling drenched with something warm and wet. Her breaths come out as short, but heavy, huffs – her chest and shoulders visibly rising and dropping with each intake of air. Her ears no longer ring of the chant that echoed in her head, and blinks away the haze that shields her eyes.

She sees the half-youmu drop to its knees, her spear embedded through its chest. Izumi pulls, satisfied with the sound of her blade scratching against skin before it comes free, the color she learned to hate dripping precariously from the tip as she cradles it by her side. The monster falls face first just in front of her feet.

Izumi places a hand over her face, wipes most of the blood that covers her skin, before turning around and spotting Mitsuki tending to Hiroomi's injuries.

Her steps are slow and calculative, with every rise and fall of her feet measuring the distance between her and her younger siblings. Has she always been this far from them? Has it always taken this long to reach them? Have they always been this far away?

"Izumi-Neesama…" Mitsuki calls out, her voice uncharacteristically meek, quiet – _soft._ There had always been a certain sharpness in it, but right now, it isn't there.

Izumi's afraid that it's fear – of _her _– that blankets her sister.

When she really looks, Mitsuki flinches at every step she takes closer towards them. Izumi had made sure her footfalls weren't heavy and her stride not demanding, yet Mitsuki is still…

"… Mitsuki?" Hiroomi's voice is weak and small.

Izumi watches as he struggles to sit up, wincing with every motion he makes, Mitsuki guiding him along until he manages to sit on his own pool of red.

His look is mixed with fear and surprise.

"Nee-san…"

She lets her eyes scan over them: roam over their battered figures, note every cut that mars their skin, recognize the staining color that they both share, and memorize the same fear reflecting across their eyes for her.

Izumi can feel that her clothes are still wet. When she looks down, her shirt is no longer white, her sweater tied around her waist sharing the same dreaded color. And so are her arms, and hands, and legs, and face; something warm and wet drips from her jaw.

She almost laughs. No wonder they're scared.

She's a monster.

They say nothing once she finally reaches them, merely towering over them in silence. Izumi stands there looking at their eyes and hoping there'd be something else she'll see, before she drops to her knees because she can no longer handle staring at the fear they carry for her.

Her weapon lies precariously somewhere beside her amidst the ashes and pools of red as she pulls her siblings towards herself, each arm circled over each sibling. Their gasps of surprise register vaguely in her mind as she cradles them close, pulls them in so she can feel their hearts beat and their breaths tickle her neck.

They're warm. _Alive._

Relief washes over her like sheets of cotton and silk; it's soft and comforting.

"Izumi-Neesama?"

"…Nee-san?"

The surprise lining both of their voices are warm against her, and it makes her feel a little better about herself – about being a _monster _– but when she feels their own arms hesitantly wrap around her waist, like they accept her for what she's become – what she is – Izumi holds them tighter.

Izumi holds them as close as she can, closes whatever distance that's between them, all because they've always been apart.

She's the older sister. She should be protecting them. And yet…

Izumi can feel tears well up in her eyes. She's normally not this vulnerable – not this _weak_ – but she figures that since Hiroomi and Mitsuki can't see, she's allowed to cry.

She hears Kanbara Akihito cough somewhere behind her, a strained gasp leaving his lips as he sucks in breaths of air, choking as if liquid pooled in his throat – _blood,_ she notes vaguely – crackling against the silence.

She will destroy Beyond the Boundary. Whatever it takes.

* * *

_18.12.13_


End file.
